Homemade plane solves problem for commuter sick of the drive to work

Mr Hadrava takes off near the village of Zdikov, Czech Republic, on his way to work. David W Cerny / Reuters

Mr Hadrava pilots his ultralight plane based on the US-design of aircraft called Mini-Max. David W Cerny / Reuters

Mr Hadrava says the flight to work in Vampira takes about 7 minutes. David W Cerny / Reuters

After a hard day's work, Mr Hadrava prepares for home. David W Cerny / Reuters

Mr Hadrava gives Vampira a last check before the flight home. David W Cerny / Reuters

Homeward bound: Vampira has solved Mr Hadrava's 14-minute commute problems. David W Cerny / Reuters

Night owl. Mr Hadrava pilots Vampira home as the moon rises. David W Cerny / Reuters

Mr Hadrava takes of his flying gear after a safe journey home and prepares to get Vampira back to her resting place. David W Cerny / Reuters

Vampira is dragged back to her 'hangar' at Mr Hadrava's home. David W Cerny / Reuters

Mr Hadrava escorts Vampira across a nearby road. David W Cerny / Reuters

Goodnight until tomorrow: Mr Hadrava puts Vampira to bed. David W Cerny / Reuters

Frantisek Hadrava thought driving to work for 14 minutes was too much, so he built a plane to cut the commute by half.

Mr Hadrava, a 45-year-old locksmith from the south-western Czech village of Zdikov, took about two years of his spare time to built his Vampira, an ultralight plane based on the US-design of light planes called Mini-Max.

The plane has an open cockpit, propeller powered by a 3-cylinder engine made by the Czech firm Verner, and maximum speed of 146kph. It cost about €3,700 (Dh15,301) to build, Mr Hadrava said.

By contrast, the US manufaturer Team Mini-Max, with production facilities in Australia and China, sells a range of designs for homebuild and its 1100R aircraft kit costs US$6,195, according to its website.

Early this morning, Mr Hadrava flew his usual path through the forested, hilly foothills of the Sumava mountains for his 6am shift at Drevostroj, a small factory in the town of Ckyne making machine tools for the forestry industry.

He lands on a meadow across the road from the factory. He then needs to push the plane across the road, leading to the German border, to a parking lot outside the factory.

“It takes me about 12 to 14 minutes by car,” Mr Hadrava said.

“By plane, it would take around 4 to 5 minutes if I flew directly, but I take a bit of a detour so that I don’t disturb people early in the morning. So it takes about 7 minutes.”

Mr Hadrava has also build a replica of the German World War One triplane Fokker Dr I, and his next plan is to construct another historical plane, the French Deperdussin.

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